Miami Heat Vs. Boston Celtics Becoming One Of NBA's Most Heated Rivalries

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo among the players who embrace the Heat vs. Celtics rivalry

The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have long been considered a fierce rivalry. 

It started during the LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh era in the early 2010s and has continued with the Jimmy Butler-led teams. It has only gotten hotter since. 

The Celtics completed a season series sweep with Sunday's victory but the teams could meet again in the playoffs. The Heat and Celtics have played in the Eastern Conference finals the past two seasons. 

"If you're in a Miami Heat jersey and I'm on your team, we're with the action," Adebayo said. "No questions asked. There's no second guessing. I'm with it." 

Adebayo said the rivalry has intensified over the years. He is close friends with Jayson Tatum but puts their friendship on hold on game nights against the Celtcs. 

"Obviously, some dudes are my homies on the other team," Adebayo said. "But in between them lines, they don't care about us. We don't care about you. I don't talk to you before the game. I don't look at you." 

The rivalry may have reached a boil when Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and Heat forward Duncan Robinson got into an altercation Sunday. After the players were entangled, Brown shoved Robinson into the stands. Brown was given a flagrant foul 1. 

"After that buzzer go off and we can't do anything else to affect that game, it might be a what's up," Adebayo said of the rivalry. "Ask about JT [Tatum]. We've known each other since we were like 12. Ask about Mom, ask about how people are doing. Other than that, that rivalry still stands. They remember what we did to them in Game 7 on their home court. For us, it's dog eat dog world. I'm riding with my team." 

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Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.

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